‘Dark Knight’, ‘Spider-Man’ & ‘Captain America’ Movie News Roundup

There’s no news like comic book movie news and there’s a fair amount to go around today – including a casting update for The Dark Knight Rises, a very mild spoiler for The Amazing Spider-Man, and information about some upcoming re-shoots for Captain America: The First Avenger.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been in talks to reunite with his Inception director Christopher Nolan for the final chapter of the filmmaker’s Batman trilogy for over a month, prompting much speculation about his role in the film. Now the onetime 3rd Rock from the Sun star is officially on-board for Dark Knight Rises – though who his character is remains a mystery for now.

Variety also says that English actress Juno Temple (Atonement, Greenberg) is in negotiations to play a supporting role as “a street-smart Gotham girl” in Nolan’s third Caped Crusader flick. That’s an interesting description, given previous speculation about how Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman will fit into The Dark Knight Rises – could Temple be up to play an associate of the sinewy anti-heroine?

Expect to learn a bit (but not too much) more as Nolan and co. gear up for the start of production on the Batman threequel this May.

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Former ’80s star C. Thomas Howell was the last known significant addition to the acting roster for director Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, but little is known about his character in the reboot – besides his name being Ray.

The actor was a guest recently on The Retroradio and had some tidbits to offer about his part in Spider-Man’s next cinematic venture – which amount to a very MILD SPOILER, so consider a warning for those who are especially sensitive about this sort of thing.

Still here? Read what Howell had to say below:

“There is not a whole lot to talk about. Sony wants us to be hush-hush right now. I play a relatively small role. I play a construction worker who’s son is caught in the middle of a battle between the Lizard and Spider-Man on the Manhattan bridge. Spider-Man helps me get my son back from this perilous situation.

“There is some payback there at the end of the movie. Spider-man is kind of hurting. I help him when all of the other people won’t. Part of the story is, the nation thinks he might be a bad guy. They don’t know what to think. Because of my experience on the bridge with my kid, I know he is a good guy. I pitch in and help out at the end. That is the best way.”

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy never really toyed all that much with the idea that citizens of New York wouldn’t be sure what to make of Peter Parker’s alter ego at first. It’s a good idea that further supports the notion that Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man will present a legitimately more authentic and (dare I say it) gritty version of the character.

A movie like Kick-Ass explored the idea of how a costumed vigilante would actually be perceived in the real world – albeit, in a satirical fashion – and Chris Nolan’s Batman movies have touched on the topic in a more serious fashion as well. So it seems all the more appropriate for the iconic webslinger’s reboot to do the same.

Principal photography on director Joe Johnston’s Captain America was officially complete last October, but Crave Online has received word that re-shoots are scheduled to commence in two weeks time, overseas in the UK. There’s no word yet on how long said additional filming will take place.

The natural first response to news like this is to assume the worst, but that’s generally not the case. Re-shoots are common practice when it comes to big-budget Hollywod fare – and since Captain America isn’t due to hit theaters for another four months, there’s still plenty of time for post-production duties on the film to be complete.

Captain America has so far appeared to be a stable production, so there’s little reason to assume these re-shoots are anything extensive either. If this news concerned a rushed project like X-Men: First Class, though, there might be reason to worry (*knock on wood*).

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Captain America: The First Avenger will be released in 2D and 3D this summer on July 22nd.

The Amazing Spider-Man will swing into 2D and 3D theaters on July 3rd, 2012.